Water quality and availability, rapid urbanisation, and the impact of natural hazards and climate change are the top three planning issues affecting New Zealand in 2018 and beyond, according to the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI).
NZPI will look to address these challenges during its annual conference Breaking New Ground in Tauranga on March 21-23. Agri-food disruption, housing supply, biodiversity offsetting, new technologies and reviewing the implications of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity are also on the agenda.
The conference will feature international planning expert David Dixon, global head of Agribusiness Ian Proudfoot, Victoria Planning Authority CEO Stuart Moseley, renowned researcher Richie Poulton and US neighbourhood crowdfunding platform founder Erin Barnes.
“While issues like water, climate change and rapid urbanisation are more pronounced than they were a decade ago, these are global concerns and New Zealand planners must engage with others to examine our priorities in terms of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals,” NZPI chair Bryce Julyan said.
“New Zealand is faced with the challenge of weighing up the need for protecting the environmental quality of our water resource while also allowing for the use of water for economic, social and cultural reasons – we must do this sustainably to ensure the resource is available for future generations.”
Delegates at the conference will debate the effects of a growing population on urban centres. The discussion will also include ways to better plan for the supply of housing, transport and other infrastructure; and plans to futureproof cities and ensure access to quality services and equity across social networks and community facilities.
“Planning for the long-term sustainable future of our cities and resources requires immediate attention,” Julyan added.
NZPI’s conference will be attended by more than 500 delegates including industry leaders, resource management experts, urban designers, scientists, environmental advocates, and local and central government representatives.
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